This movie is actually more comedy than horror. Everything Ukranian - the language and lifestyle - is pretty funny for a Russian, and this humor was extensively exploited both in Gogol's novel and in the movie. And of course both leading talents (Kuravlyov + Varley) are well-known comedy actors.
i bought this film on dvd a few months back. i think i actually read about it on monster brains. so much fun. the church scenes are my favorite. you gotta love ukrainian folklore.
I disagree that VIY is more comedy than horror... I mean, for a non-Hollywood film in 1967, I think the ghouls and demons were pretty darn impressive! Very Goya-esque. And the Witch flying around in her coffin, then trying to get at Khoma, but being invisibly blocked - Wow! I thought it was downright chilling! Perhaps I am naive, but I loved every second of it. It's one of my very favorites.
Certainly, Gogol's Viy was intended as comedy but the movie is what it is. If it makes you laugh, it's a comedy; if it creeps you out, it's a horror movie. I was captivated by its imagery years ago when fragments of it turned up at the end of a tape a friend had duped for me of some other horror movie - I had to know what this was. Now, of course, I own the Russico DVD and it's one of my prized possessions.
You probably couldn't tell by looking at it but Mario Bava's Black Sunday was influenced by the same Gogol story. And I see in Sam Raimi's Evil Dead a touch of Gogol, too.
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Oh yes!! All the scenes with her in the church where so spectacular..
This movie is actually more comedy than horror. Everything Ukranian - the language and lifestyle - is pretty funny for a Russian, and this humor was extensively exploited both in Gogol's novel and in the movie.
And of course both leading talents (Kuravlyov + Varley) are well-known comedy actors.
Hello m' Lady!
I think you would like this blog...check it out!
http://monsterbrains.blogspot.com/
xo Lavona
Love that blog. Its one of my favorites! Thanks LL!
i bought this film on dvd a few months back. i think i actually read about it on monster brains. so much fun. the church scenes are my favorite. you gotta love ukrainian folklore.
I disagree that VIY is more comedy than horror... I mean, for a non-Hollywood film in 1967, I think the ghouls and demons were pretty darn impressive! Very Goya-esque. And the Witch flying around in her coffin, then trying to get at Khoma, but being invisibly blocked - Wow! I thought it was downright chilling! Perhaps I am naive, but I loved every second of it. It's one of my very favorites.
Certainly, Gogol's Viy was intended as comedy but the movie is what it is. If it makes you laugh, it's a comedy; if it creeps you out, it's a horror movie. I was captivated by its imagery years ago when fragments of it turned up at the end of a tape a friend had duped for me of some other horror movie - I had to know what this was. Now, of course, I own the Russico DVD and it's one of my prized possessions.
You probably couldn't tell by looking at it but Mario Bava's Black Sunday was influenced by the same Gogol story. And I see in Sam Raimi's Evil Dead a touch of Gogol, too.
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